WINSTED — The Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic co-op football team started the season with a tough 56-7 loss against Woodland Regional High School Saturday, Sept. 12.
It was the first game of the season for both squads in the Naugatuck Valley League and GNH took the field after graduating 20 seniors last year. As of game one, the Yellowjackets had seven seniors on the roster and 32 total players.
The young GNH squad got valuable experience against a quality opponent in the season opener. In team totals, the Yellowjackets rushed for 208 yards and passed for 54 yards.
Woodland, coming off an undefeated regular season in 2025, took an early lead against GNH and ran up the score. Woodland's quarterback Evan Mastropietro threw two touchdowns and rushed for a third. Justin Pringle also completed a trifecta with a rushing touchdown, reception touchdown and an interception returned for a touchdown for Woodland.
The game was played at Van Why Field in Winsted on a partly cloudy afternoon. It was about 72 degrees at kick-off time.Woodland scored four unanswered touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of play, starting with a 10-yard run by Pringle, then a 59-yard interception return by Pringle, then a 15-yard rush by Colby Marsan and a 60-yard pass from Mastropietro to Ryan Kenney.
GNH got on the board late in the first quarter when Airyn Berube rushed to the right and broke away for a 56-yard dash to the end zone. GNH often used a jumbo package with a full house in the backfield -- a familiar setup for coach Scott Salius and one the team leaned on last season.
Woodland added to its total with a 55-yard QB sneak by Mastropietro to bring the score to 35-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Woodland scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter. First, Marsan capped off a long drive with a 2-yard run and then Pringle caught a 15-yard touchdown pass near the end of the half.
The Gilbert School marching band offered a preview of its seasonal routine at halftime, performing a steampunk‑inspired show centered around a large mechanical clock in midfield.
Due to the lopsided 49-7 score, the referees allowed the clock to run in the second half. After a scoreless third quarter, Woodland scored on the first play of the fourth quarter -- a 75-yard run by Daniel Keogh to bring the score to 56-7.
GNH strung together a long drive through the rest of the fourth quarter that brought the Yellowjackets right down to the goal line. As the clock expired, a last‑ditch throw hung over the end zone before the defense rose up for an interception.
Friday night football is coming to Falls Village for GNH's next game, which will be played at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The Yellowjackets are scheduled to host the Granby/Canton co-op team Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m
Carson Riva battles a double teamRiley Klein
